The Confidence Gap: What Casting Directors Wish You Knew

Have you ever walked into an audition and thought, “Okay… I’m confident. I’m

confident. I’m confident,” while your body is screaming, “We’re absolutely not confident!”

Meanwhile, casting directors are looking at you like, “Are they… are they okay?”

Confidence is one of those weird acting ingredients you can’t fake, can’t force, but absolutely need — even though most actors have no idea what real confidence looks like.

Well, today we’re pulling back the curtain.

Because what you think confidence is…and what casting directors actually see as confidence…are two completely different things.

Let’s fix the gap.

INTRO

Well, Hello Welcome back to Casting Actors Cast, the podcast that gives you insider insight, actor motivation, and a gentle nudge to stop doubting yourself quite so much.

I’m Jeff Dreisbach — casting director, teacher, former actor, and the guy who has watched thousands of auditions and can tell in three seconds whether someone trusts themselves… or is silently begging the room to validate them.

Today’s episode is a big one — because we’re talking about confidence, and more importantly, the confidence gap: That painful space between how talented you actually are…and how confident you feel.

Here’s the truth: Actors are often much better than they think they are — but their lack of confidence hides the very thing we want to see.

So today, we’re going to break down:

• what confidence is

• what it is NOT

• how casting directors spot it

• and how you can build real, grounded confidence that books roles

Let’s jump in.

WHAT CONFIDENCE IS NOT 

Actors often get confidence wrong. So let’s clear the air.

1. Confidence is NOT perfection.

You don’t need to be flawless. Confident actors embrace imperfections — they don’t hide them.

2. Confidence is NOT “big energy.”

You don’t have to burst into the room like you’re hosting the Tonys. Confidence is not volume.

3. Confidence is NOT arrogance.

Arrogance is insecurity wearing sunglasses. Confidence is quiet, steady, and grounded.

4. Confidence is NOT pretending.

You cannot fake confidence and sustain it. Your body will betray you — twitchy hands, tight jaw, shallow breath.

5. Confidence is NOT knowing you’ll book the job.

Real confidence is: “I’m good at what I do……and I trust myself enough to let this unfold.”

Confidence is a relationship with yourself — not with the outcome.

WHAT CONFIDENCE IS

So if confidence isn’t the big showy stuff, what is it?

1. Confidence is ease.

The relaxed, unforced presence that says: “I’m here. I’m ready. I belong.”

2. Confidence is self-trust.

Not perfection. Not control. Just trust.

3. Confidence is consistency.

Not in results — but in showing up prepared every time.

4. Confidence is clarity.

You’ve made choices. You know your objective. You’re not guessing.

5. Confidence is connection.

Confident actors connect — with the reader, with the story, with themselves. Confidence is relational, not performative.

6. Confidence is listening.

When you trust yourself, you can actually hear the other person.

7. Confidence is permission.

Permission to:

• be messy

• be human

• discover

• adjust

• surprise yourself

Confidence says: “It’s okay to just be me.”

HOW CASTING DIRECTORS IDENTIFY CONFIDENCE IN 3 SECONDS

Here’s the insider gold actors never hear:

Casting directors spot confidence instantly. How?

1. Your entrance energy

Confident actors walk in like the room isn’t a threat. Their body is open, their breath is normal, and they’re not trying to make an impression.

2. Your greeting

Simple, calm, human. Not apologetic. Not overly formal. Just real.

3. Your eyes

Confident actors have presence in the eyes — not darting, not searching for approval.

4. Your transitions

Between lines. Between beats. Between actions. Highly confident actors don’t rush transitions — they let moments unfold.

5. Your response to adjustment

This one is huge. If we give you a redirect and you light up? Confident. If you panic or freeze? Confidence gap.

6. Your sense of ease in the space

You’re not stiff, shrinking, or bracing. You take up the amount of space that a grounded human naturally takes.

Confidence is visible whether you speak or not.

TOP 6 SIGNS YOU HAVE A “CONFIDENCE GAP”

These are subtle but incredibly common.

1. Over-apologizing

Actors apologize for EVERYTHING. “I’m sorry, I didn’t slate.” “I’m sorry, this is a weird angle.” “I’m sorry my hair exists. ”Stop apologizing. Start owning.

2. Rushing

Fast talking, fast moving — like you want to get it over with before you’re judged.

3. Over-preparing but under-committing

Your work is technically good…but emotionally guarded.

4. Over-explaining your choices

Confident actors let the work speak. Others try to justify it.

5. Being easily thrown off

If a noise in the hallway or a redirect derails you entirely, that’s a confidence gap.

6. “Outcome obsession”

The moment your mind goes to: “Did I book it? ”You’re in the gap. Real confidence is about the work, not the result.

HOW TO BUILD REAL ACTOR CONFIDENCE

Here it is — your confidence-building blueprint. This works for auditions, self-tapes, classes, and on set.

1. Know Your Strengths (Write Them Down)

Actors rarely acknowledge what they’re good at. Write down:

• roles you excel in

• moments teachers praised

• feedback that stuck

• characters that feel natural

This becomes your foundation.

2. Create a Pre-Audition Ritual

Athletes do it .Dancers do it .Actors? Actors panic.

Create a ritual that tells your brain: “We’re safe. We’re ready.”

3. Practice “Micro-Bravery”

Confidence builds through small risks. Try a bolder choice. Pause longer. Lean into a moment.

Every micro-brave moment grows your confidence muscle.

4. Stop Trying to Impress

Confidence is not: “Do you like me? ”It’s: “I know who I am. Let me share it with you.”

5. Set Process-Based Goals

Not: “I want to book this. ”Try: “I want to stay present in the transitions. ”Or:“ I want to connect to the reader through the whole scene.”

Small wins create big confidence.

6. Learn to Appreciate Your Work

After a self-tape, don’t start with what went wrong. Start with what went right. Confidence grows when you acknowledge your wins.

THE CONFIDENCE RESET FOR AUDITION DAY

Here’s a quick reset you can use right before taping or entering the room:

STOP Take one breath. Drop your shoulders. Loosen your jaw. Feel the ground under your feet. Say:“ I am enough for this moment.”

That’s the energy casting directors feel.

CONCLUSION + CTA

Confidence isn’t magic. It isn’t luck. It isn’t something other actors have and you don’t. Confidence is a daily practice — a habit — a way of relating to yourself.

When you close the confidence gap, you unlock your presence, your power, and your ability to let us truly see you.

If this episode resonated, share it with another actor who could use a confidence boost today. And if you haven’t already, hit subscribe so you never miss a new episode of Casting Actors Cast.